Sam Altman launches eyeball scanning crypto coin
A cryptocurrency project described as being "dystopian" has been launched by AI entrepreneur Sam Altman.
Worldcoin gives people digital coins in exchange for a scan of their eyeballs.
In sites around the world, thousands of people queued to gaze into silver orbs on day one of the project's full launch.
The BBC visited a scanning site in London where people received free crypto tokens after going through the process.
Mr Altman, the chief executive of Open AI which built chat bot ChatGPT says he hopes the initiative will help confirm if someone is a human or a robot.
"Worldcoin could drastically increase economic opportunity, scale a reliable solution for distinguishing humans from AI online while preserving privacy," Mr. Altman claimed in a launch letter on the company website.
Worldcoin also claims that its system could pave the way for an "AI-funded" universal basic income. But it's not clear how.
The concept of a universal basic income sees all citizens paid a set salary regardless of their means.
The first step in this crypto utopia as laid out by Worldcoin though relies on getting millions, maybe even billions, of people to scan their irises to prove they are human.
Since testing of the scanners began two years ago, Worldcoin says more than two million people have been added to the crypto database in 33 different countries.
According to the company, most sign-ups have happened in Europe, India, and southern Africa.
Despite the company's American foundation, the crypto coins are not being offered to US citizens due to regulatory concerns.
Now that the project has fully launched and the crypto tokens are available to claim and trade, it's expected to grow even more popular.
Worldcoin posted a picture online of people queuing at a site in Japan and said it plans to roll out 1,500 Orbs in locations across the globe.
The BBC went to try it out at a pop-up site in east London and found a steady stream of people turning up.
The process starts with scanning your face and iris to prove you are a person. It takes about 10 seconds to stare into the Orb's camera lens and wait for a beep to confirm it has worked. Interestingly the Orb operator says the silver ball used to talk to users - but customer feedback described it as "creepy" so they removed the voice.
The next step is that your iris scan is given a unique number which is checked against the giant database to make sure it's the first time you've done it. If so, the ball beeps again and you are now on the database along with 2.06 million other humans at the time of writing.
25 free Worldcoin tokens are awarded on completion which are currently valued at roughly $2 (£1.56) each. The BBC will sell the coins once they are received and donate any money to Children in Need.
By the time the BBC left the pop-up site, 13 people had been scanned. All were men in their 20s and 30s.
"I came after seeing Sam Altman tweeting about the launch," said 37-year-old Moses Serumaga.
"I saw that you could get some dollars for it so I thought why not? It could die like other crypto projects or it could be a big thing and go up in value. I didn't want to miss out," he said.
23-year-old Tom also scanned his eyeball but said he didn't do it for the money as he doesn't think the value of the tokens will rise.
"I don't think that amount of money is enough of an incentive unless you live in less developed nations and I don't think there's much possibility of it going up further really," he said.
The scanning process has proven controversial with reports criticizing some of the tactics used by orb operators who are paid in commission, with particular concern over those getting sign-ups in poorer nations.
Privacy experts also worry that sensitive data gathered from scanning a person's iris might get into the wrong hands, even though Worldcoin insists that no data is stored.
Vitalik Buterin, the co-founder of the cryptocurrency network Ethereum, responded to the Worldcoin launch expressing excitement about the project but also issuing a warning about its potential pitfalls.
"On the whole, despite the "dystopian vibes" of staring into an Orb and letting it scan deeply into your eyeballs, it does seem like specialized hardware systems can do quite a decent job of protecting privacy," he said.
However, he also says that relying on the specialized orbs to carry out the scans could give Worldcoin too much power and make it hard to get the world on board.
Twitter founder and crypto enthusiast Jack Dorsey tweeted an apparent criticism of the project, describing its mission as "cute", and adding the dystopian warning: "Visit the Orb or the Orb will visit you...".
Mr. Altman welcomed criticism, saying online that "haters" give his team energy. But he admitted the project was ambitious.
"Maybe it works out and maybe it doesn't, but trying stuff like this is how progress happens," he tweeted.
Source- BBC
Russia expands pool of men eligible for call-up
Russia is raising the maximum age at which men can be conscripted from 27 to 30, making more of them liable to serve in the armed forces.
The change was passed by the lower house of parliament on Tuesday.
The package of measures comes as Moscow seeks to boost troop numbers to defend territory gained in its invasion of Ukraine last year.
A senior Russian MP said the new law was written with a major conflict in mind.
"It already smells like a big war," Andrei Kartapolov, head of the Russian parliament's defence committee, told MPs.
He argued that too many people were currently able to avoid military service.
All men of conscription age are expected to serve a year of compulsory military service.
Russia is thought to have sustained heavy casualties in nearly a year-and-a-half of fighting, but the Defence Ministry is reluctant to release figures.
Last autumn, the government announced a mobilisation of 300,000 reservists, but as a result, tens of thousands of men left Russia.
In a separate measure last week, the maximum age at which reservists can be called up was raised, meaning some men will now be considered available for military service until they are 55.
The State Duma passed the conscription bill in its second and third readings. It still needs to be approved by the upper house and by President Vladimir Putin, but this is seen as a formality.
Once signed, it is due to come into force on 1 January next year.
The latest measures go further than the Defence Ministry's original proposal, which sought to change the conscription age range from 18-27 to 21-30. The lower age limit will continue to be 18.
"The wording of the draft law changed because the demographic situation is serious and affects the volume of the mobilisation resource," Mr Kartapolov told Russian media.
He added that "many lads want to go and serve at 18".
The draft law also bans men from leaving the country from the day of their call-up. Since April, conscription papers can be issued online instead of in person.
In addition, men who fail to report for conscription will be liable for fines of up to 30,000 roubles ($332), a tenfold increase.
Source- BBC
Caribbean cruise passenger rescued after falling overboard from 10th deck
A cruise passenger was rescued from the Caribbean Sea after she fell from the ship's 10th deck.
The 42-year-old, sailing on Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas, fell into the waters around 31 miles (50km) south of Punta Cana, in the Dominican Republic, at 5.44 pm local time on Sunday.
According to the US Coast Guard, the ship's rescue boat was able to locate her and bring her back aboard.
The woman, a US resident, was uninjured and did not require any medical attention, it added but was eventually taken to the hospital for an assessment.
In a statement, Royal Caribbean said: "The ship and crew immediately reported the incident to local authorities and began searching for the guest.
"Thankfully, the guest was successfully recovered and was brought on board."
According to Fox 35 in Orlando, passengers expected the worst as they watched the operation take place from their balconies.
Daniel Kuhn, who was with his family on board, told the outlet: "After we saw the life rafts or the life preservers and the smoke - I was like, someone just died."
He added the captain told passengers they had "reports of a person overboard".
"I think it was amazing seeing everyone on their balcony," he said. "Everyone was trying to help, and the crew was very receptive to everyone."
Fox added passengers cheered when the woman was brought on board, with Mr. Kuhn adding: "To go from, 'She's probably not going to be found,' - and… 'it's a body recovery', versus 'Holy c***, they found her, and she's alive!'"
It was not the only incident involving Royal Caribbean last weekend - a 53-year-old man had to be evacuated from the Voyager of the Seas, which was around 200km off the coast of Louisiana on Sunday, after reports of a "severe loss of blood", the Coast Guard said.
He was flown from the ship to New Orleans, where he was said to be in a "fair" condition.
Source- Sky News
DR RAVEN SAUNDERS APPOINTED AS DEPUTY CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER
The Office of the Deputy Governor is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Raven Saunders to the Deputy Chief Medical Officer post.
Dr. Saunders, a former Valedictorian of the H.J. Robinson High School (2007) and the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College (2009), holds an Associate Degree in General Studies (Science) from the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College; a Bachelor of Science Degree (Magna Cum Laude) in Biology and Biochemistry from the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth; and a Bachelor of Medicine Bachelor of Surgery Degree MBBS from the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, in Kingston.
Dr. Saunders was appointed to the post of Medical Officer within the Ministry of Health and Human Services in February 2022. This appointment came after a successful stint as a member of the Primary Healthcare Unit's COVID-19 Response Team in February 2021 and her appointment as the Clinic Manager and Family Doctor on the island of Ambergris Cay for Ominicare. Dr. Saunders also served as the Family Doctor with ACCU Diagnostics on the island of Providenciales in 2020.
Before her return to the TCI in 2020, Dr. Saunders had the opportunity to garner a wealth of medical experience as a Medical Intern at the St. Ann's Bay Hospital, where she was trained in multiple disciplines and was later able to further enhance her skills by working as a Senior Health Officer in numerous clinics throughout the North-East Regional Health Authority in Jamaica.
Commenting on her appointment, Dr Saunders said:
"I am honored and ecstatic to take the Deputy Chief Medical Officer position in the Ministry of Health and Human Services, where I intend to work to serve my countrymen well and provide them with the best policies and healthcare services.
As stated, when I was appointed to the post of Medical Officer in the Ministry of Health in February 2022, words cannot describe the feelings invoked when you can provide appropriate and adequate medical care to the community that once supported you through your career journey.
Working as a Medical Officer at the Grand Turk Clinic has been my most rewarding career experience. My patients' lives have touched and educated me, and I hope to have also impacted their lives.
With this in mind, I encourage all past, present and future graduates to return home to contribute to the country that once supported them. Hurdles may arise but do not give up. Your perseverance and hard work will be acknowledged."
Deputy Governor and Head of the Public Service, Her Excellency Anya Williams, in extending congratulatory remarks to Dr Raven Saunders, said:
"I am delighted to congratulate Dr. Raven Saunders on her promotion to the Deputy Chief Medical Officer position within the Ministry of Health and Human Services.
Dr. Saunders, a known National Scholar, has made a name for herself in the medical field through the committed and caring service that she has provided to her clients.
In her new senior management role, Dr. Saunders, under the direct supervision of the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Nadia Astwood, will share the nationwide responsibility for managing and coordinating the various aspects of the Turks and Caicos Islands health care system.
Along with the CMO, Dr. Saunders will be responsible for providing leadership support to a team of professionals and will be accountable for the performance of the departments and Medical Staff/Medical Officers against the Ministry of Health and Human Services Operational Plan, Key Performance Indicators and by extension for the overall performance of the Health System in collaboration with CMO.
This is a very significant role with a wide range of responsibilities. I am confident that Dr. Saunders will do exceedingly well in this post, and I wish her all the best as she embarks on a new path in her journey.
Congratulations on your well-deserved promotion, Dr Saunders!"
Oppenheimer sex scene featuring sacred Hindu text Bhagavad Gita sparks outrage in India
A sex scene in box office smash hit Oppenheimer has sparked outrage in India with social media users threatening to boycott the nuclear arms biopic.
The scene, featuring US physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer (portrayed by Irish actor Cillian Murphy) reciting a verse from the Bhagavad Gita - a sacred Hindu scripture - before having sex has been branded a "scathing attack on Hinduism".
Nationalist group Saves Culture Save India (SCSI) Foundation said the scene should be "investigated... on an urgent basis" and called for those involved to be "severely punished".
Fury on social media erupted after SCSI founder, Uday Mahurkar, wrote an open letter complaining to the film's director, Christopher Nolan.
The letter, entitled "Oppenheimer's disturbing attack on Hinduism", said: "We do not know the motivation and logic behind this unnecessary scene on [the] life of a scientist.
"But this is a direct assault on the religious beliefs of a billion tolerant Hindus, rather it amounts to waging a war on the Hindu community and almost appears to be part of a larger conspiracy by anti-Hindu forces."
Mr. Mahurkar described the Bhagavad Gita as "one of the most revered scriptures of Hinduism" which has inspired thousands of people to "live a life of self-control and perform selfless noble deeds".
He called on Nolan to axe the controversial scene, telling him: "We urge, on behalf of billions of Hindus and timeless tradition of lives being transformed by revered Gita, to do all that is necessary to uphold the dignity of their revered book and remove this scene from your film across [the] world."
And he warned: "Should you choose to ignore this appeal it would be deemed as a deliberate assault on Indian civilization."
"These sorts of impotent accusations take away from the real issues happening to and within our community," one said.
Another responded: "There is nothing morally wrong with the scene. Stop overreacting and treating sex as a taboo."
The film stars Murphy as Oppenheimer, who oversaw the creation of the atomic bomb during the Second World War, and English actress Florence Pugh, who plays his mistress Jean Tatlock, a psychiatrist, in the movie.
It has grossed around 600m rupees (almost £5.71m) since opening in India on Friday, according to Warner Bros Discovery.
In the UK, Vue said it had the biggest weekend for cinema ticket sales in four years following the release of Oppenheimer and the Barbie film.
The cinema chain said on Sunday that a fifth of its customers purchased tickets to see both films in a social media-inspired double-bill dubbed "Barbenheimer".
Ahead of Oppenheimer's release, Nolan told Sky News the film was "just a very, very dramatic story about how our world changed forever" and warned - "the danger never goes away".
Source- Sky News
Twitter rebrands as X and kills off blue bird logo
Twitter has changed its brand and logo from its famous blue bird to "X".
The new white X on a black background has replaced the bluebird on the desktop version of the social network, although is yet to appear on the mobile app.
"Tweets" will also be replaced, according to Twitter's owner Elon Musk, and posts will be called "x's".
The billionaire changed his profile picture to the new logo and added "X.com" to his Twitter bio.
Mr. Musk wants to create a "super app" called X - his vision for a new kind of social media platform that he has been talking about creating for months.
On Sunday, the billionaire said he was looking to change Twitter's logo, tweeting: "And soon we shall bid adieu to the Twitter brand and, gradually, all the birds."
He then shared a picture of the new X branding projected onto the side of Twitter headquarters in San Francisco.
Mr. Musk, who has changed the name of the business to X Corp, said the replacement "should have been done a long time ago".
He posted an image of a flickering X on Twitter, and later in a Twitter Spaces audio chat, replied "Yes" when asked if the Twitter logo would change.
Linda Yaccarino, Twitter's new chief executive, wrote on the platform that the rebrand was an exciting new opportunity.
"Twitter made one massive impression and changed the way we communicate," she said.
"Now, X will go further, transforming the global town square."
The bird is called Larry which Twitter's co-founder Biz Stone said, in 2011, is a tribute to basketball star and Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird.
People took to Twitter to mourn the loss of the logo, including Martin Grasser who designed it in 2012.
"Today we say goodbye to this great bluebird," he said. Later the tweet was shared by Jack Dorsey, Twitter's best-known co-founder with a goat emoji, which means 'greatest of all time'.
Business commentator Justin Urquhart Stewart said Twitter's "loyal but aging base" would not like the changes.
"The younger generations have moved onto other apps and Twitter does look a bit old-fashioned."
"Elon Musk has got to be careful as you are almost starting from scratch with an older audience meanwhile damaging the original brand," he said.
The very rapid rebranding of Twitter has also caused some security concerns.
Jake Moore, a global cyber adviser at security firm ESET, said the transition from one company name to another could encourage phishing, where criminals impersonate people or organizations to steal users' data.
"A rebrand is the perfect opportunity to send phishing emails requesting users to sign in via a new URL from a link within that email - but of course, that link wouldn't be genuine and that's where people could be tricked into handing over their genuine Twitter credentials without their usual level of caution," he told the BBC.
"Cyber-criminals can easily prey on this, especially those searching for that new URL."
Mr. Musk has long had a fascination with the letter X - although no one really knows why.
One of his first business ventures in 1999 was known as X.com, which was an online banking platform.
Just three years later, Mr. Musk made $165m when X.com - by then merged with PayPal - was bought by eBay.
He also owns the X.com domain name, which now redirects to Twitter.
Mr. Musk is also the chief executive of SpaceX, the commercial American aerospace company founded in 2002.
There is also the name of his first child with musician Grimes - X Æ A-12 Musk.
Mr. Musk also recently launched his long-awaited artificial intelligence start-up - xAI - in a bid to build an alternative to ChatGPT.
Source- BBC
LeBron James' eldest son Bronny stable after cardiac arrest
Bronny James, the eldest son of basketball great LeBron James, is in stable condition after suffering a cardiac arrest, a spokesperson for the family said.
A statement to ESPN said the 18-year-old was training with the University of Southern California (USC) basketball team when the incident happened.
"Medical staff was able to treat Bronny and take him to the hospital," it read.
"He is now in stable condition and no longer in ICU (intensive care unit)."
It added: "We ask for respect and privacy for the James family and we will update media when there is more information.
"LeBron and [his wife] Savannah wish to publicly send their deepest thanks and appreciation to the USC medical and athletic staff for their incredible work and dedication to the safety of their athletes."
NBA legend Magic Johnson said, "We are praying and hoping he makes a full and speedy recovery".
Source- BBC
Rare Apple computer trainers on sale for $50,000
A pair of rare Apple trainers are being sold by auction house Sotheby's for $50,000 (£38,969).
The shoes were custom-made for employees only in the 1990s and were a one-time giveaway at a conference.
A pair have never been sold to the public before.
Featuring a predominately white leather upper, "a standout detail" is the old rainbow Apple logo on both the tongue and next to the laces and will be "highly coveted", said Sotheby's.
The retailer described them as "one of the most obscure in existence", highlighting the rarity of the sneakers and their value on the resale market.
While the Omega x Apple sneakers are "new in the box", the description says they do have some imperfections, including a yellowing around the midsoles.
The pair feature an air cushioning window in the heel and are a US size 10.5, European size 41, or UK 8.5. In the box, there is also an alternative pair of red laces.
Over time, Apple memorabilia has been rocketing in value and many of its retro gadgets are now collector's items selling for high prices - although not all of its items have been hits.
There was a traditional video game console called Pippin which was hugely overpriced, the ill-fated social network called Ping, and the Newton MessagePad which was described as a flop.
One of its more successful recent auctions includes a first edition, unopened 4GB iPhone, which sold for over $190,000 (£145,000) at auction in the US.
Although Apple is famed for its gadgets and innovations, on occasion tech fans have been able to purchase clothing and accessories from the brand.
There was an Apple collection clothing line that incorporated the rainbow logo and Macintosh computer imagery - it included t-shirts, polo shirts, sweatshirts, and hats.
It was intended to promote the Apple brand and create a sense of community - however, at the time it was not a major success and was discontinued.
In 2015, Apple partnered with the luxury fashion brand Hermès to create a collection of watch straps. In 2020 it released a strap in celebration of black history month.
For employees, there have been Apple Park jackets, designed for those working at the company's headquarters in Cupertino, California.
Source- BBC
Sea temperature off Florida reaches 38C - potentially a world record
Sea surface temperatures of more than 38C (100.4F) have been recorded off the coast of Florida - potentially setting a new world record.
The recording was captured by a buoy in Manatee Bay in the Florida Keys.
It means the sea there was as warm as a hot tub - the standard temperature setting of which is 38C.
The temperature stayed at 37.8C (100F) or above between 5 pm and 8 pm on Monday, and hit a high of 38.3C (101.1F) according to the buoy.
The reading was taken at a depth of 1.5m (4.9ft) - with surrounding buoys posting similar figures.
The buoy is owned and maintained by the Everglades National Park, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website.
Although no complete set of records exists, the warmest sea surface temperature is currently thought to be 37.6C (99.7F) recorded in Kuwait Bay in the Persian Gulf.
This means, if confirmed, the water readings recorded off Florida's coast would challenge the record for the hottest sea surface temperature in the world.
But, it would have to go through a verification process - this is due to how close it is to land and the possibility of murky water.
This summer has seen the warmest temperatures on record around southern Florida, according to the NOAA.
Buoys have been recording temperatures about 2.75C warmer than usual.
The NOAA said the extreme ocean temperatures were "concerning".
"The ongoing marine heatwave in South Florida could impact sensitive marine ecosystems in the region, such as shallow water corals," it said.
Developing tropical storms could also become stronger because of the high sea temperatures, the agency said.
Florida is far from the only place experiencing unusually warm temperatures.
Global sea surface temperatures have been at record highs since April - including around the UK.
Sea surface temperatures taken around the near-coastal waters of the UK showed that May 2023 was the warmest May since 1850.
Source- Sky News
Extreme heat hits Europe, south-west US and China
Heat stroke and heat exhaustion symptoms
Excessively hot temperatures can cause both heat exhaustion and heatstroke. The two are different, but the former is a precursor to the latter. For signs of heat exhaustion, here is what you should look out for:
- Feeling faint or dizzy
- Excessive sweating
- Clammy skin
- Nausea or vomiting
- Muscle cramps
On the other hand, if you or someone near you are suffering from heat stroke, the symptoms are:
- Confusion
- No sweating
- Temperature over 40C(104F) with hot, dry skin
- Nausea or vomiting
- Losing consciousness, convulsions or seizures
Just under 100 million people across the US will be waking up to extreme heat warnings on Monday morning, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
Much of the heat is concentrated in the southeastern portion of the US, from Louisiana to Arizona to southern California. Parts of southern Florida are also under heat advisories.
Temperatures are expected to be consistently in the triple digits Fahrenheit (above 37C) until at least mid-week, especially in the desert and in the heart of Texas. Evenings are also expected to be unusually warm, offering little respite for people.
In some places, the heat is forecast to surpass previous records. Phoenix, Arizona is likely to register its hottest week ever.
Authorities are cautioning Americans to "take the heat seriously".
"Temperatures will reach levels that would pose a health risk, and be potentially deadly, to anyone without effective cooling and/or adequate hydration," the NWS says.
Heat is the leading weather-related killer in the US, the agency adds. More than 700 people are estimated to die each year from heat-related factors.
Extreme weather is becoming more frequent and more intense in many places because of climate change.
Even a small increase in average temperatures makes a big difference.
This is because the whole distribution of daily temperatures shifts to warmer levels, making hotter days more likely and more extreme.
Scientists use computer simulations to judge whether extreme weather events have been made more likely by warming caused by humans.
For example, a record-breaking heatwave across Spain, Portugal, and northwest Africa in April was made at least 100 times more likely by climate change, according to the World Weather Attribution Network (WWA).
Heatwaves are also becoming longer and more intense.
This can happen through "heat domes" - an area of high pressure where hot air is pushed down and trapped in place, causing temperatures to soar over large areas.
One theory suggests higher temperatures in the Arctic - which has warmed more than four times faster than the global average - are causing strong winds called the jet stream to slow and increasing the likelihood of heat domes.
Source- BBC